The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®

Episode #793: PAN Communications CMO Mark Nardone on 2026 Predictions and Staying Ahead of GEO

Date: January 5, 2026
Guest: Mark Nardone, CMO, PAN Communications
Host: Greg Kihlström

Episode Overview

In this episode, Greg Kihlström and PAN Communications CMO Mark Nardone dive into the shifting marketing technology landscape as we approach 2026. The conversation centers on how generative AI (geo), changing data dynamics, and evolving consumer trust mechanisms are transforming the balance between owned and earned media. Mark shares insights from PAN’s latest research, unpacks how CMOs should reallocate focus and budget, and offers actionable predictions for the coming year—all with a practical mindset to cut through AI “noise” and help marketers craft clear, consistent brand strategies in a nonlinear, AI-driven buyer journey.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Shift from Owned to Earned Media Influence

• PAN Report Insight:
  • 44% of ChatGPT links now originate from PR-influenced (earned) sources, only 30% from corporate (owned) websites ([04:05]).
  • Implication: Brands must rebalance their efforts—prioritize PR, credible analyst/influencer relations, and authentic executive thought leadership, as AI amplifies third-party credibility over self-published content.
  • Quote:
    “I think now more than ever, executives can't avoid communications and public relations... They have to have an authentic voice. They have to be consistent.”
    — Mark Nardone [05:29]

Prioritizing Quality Over Volume in Content Creation

• Brand Credibility Is Key:
  • Speed and volume, enabled by AI, often sacrifice message clarity and trust.
  • Quote:
    “It's definitely less about volume than it is about quality.”
    — Greg Kihlström [06:37]
    “100%. ...when content becomes overwhelming...brand gets sacrificed.”
    — Mark Nardone [06:44]
  • Human-guided and answer-first content outperforms high-frequency, generic output.

The Convergence of PR, Comms, and Marketing

• Integration & De-Siloing:
  • Traditional silos between PR (credibility) and marketing (pipeline) are collapsing.
  • Integrated strategies—earned, owned, analyst, influencer relations—are now discussed at board level, not just C-suite.
  • Quote:
    “Board going to eat this up. So now, because the accessibility of all of this is at the fingertips for the board, they can go in and do their own prompts and act like marketers.”
    — Mark Nardone [09:55]

Navigating SEO and the Arrival of GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)

• Geo vs SEO:
  • Boards/C-suites are now asking how brands appear in AI-generated results, not just search engines.
  • Quote:
    “The level is all about interpretability... How do you as a brand ensure that you've got strong visibility...expert point of views, consistent narrative across channel...”
    — Mark Nardone [13:21]
• Website Still Matters:
  • The corporate site remains crucial for credibility once a buyer arrives, but clarity and consistency across every channel—including external reviews and analyst mentions—are paramount.

Mindset and Execution: From Velocity to Trust

• Evolution, Not Revolution:
  • The game isn’t radically different, but brands must double down on discipline—clarity, consistency, and trust matter more than ever ([15:40]).
  • Quote:
    “The script flips a little to trust reputation...influence in your content...You don't need velocity, you just need sustainability in that sense.”
    — Mark Nardone [15:46]

Measurement in the AI Era

• From ‘Reach’ to ‘Recognition’:
  • Shift from counting content/reach to measuring authority, share of influence, review sentiment, analyst validation, and AI-driven discoverability ([18:25]).
  • G2 and other review platforms have gained outsized influence.
  • PAN is now investing in AI-driven visibility metrics platforms (e.g., Panoptics).

Predictions for 2026 & Beyond

• Consistency Wins:
  • Identical, story-driven content across all touchpoints—no “wrong door” for the buyer.
  • Quote:
    “Trust [is] becoming the new operating system for growth.”
    — Mark Nardone [21:45]
• Get Back to Basics:
  • The fundamentals matter: operationalize what works, don’t try everything.
  • 2025 was a trial year; 2026 is for operational discipline.
  • High-volume content for vanity metrics will be dead by year’s end ([23:17]).
  • Quote:
    “Clarity and consistency is going to win in 2026. There's no question about it.”
    — Mark Nardone [24:21]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Hopefully we kind of drill into a few key points. Your listeners kind of get some good value out of it from a takeaway standpoint, because...there's just way too much noise out there right now on the subject.”
  — Mark Nardone [02:42]
• “Many isn't actually great. Like, you know, many is not good. Like, it's okay to do a few things just really freaking great.”
  — Mark Nardone [17:26]
• “Gen AI has neutralized volume as a competitive advantage. It wins now with depth and proof and clarity and expertise.”
  — Mark Nardone [23:31]
• “Trust is so, so important...Expertise from a content standpoint, really, really important.”
  — Mark Nardone [21:53]
• “Trial period is over. Greg, I think it’s now getting to the point where you have to operationalize these inside your marketing department.”
  — Mark Nardone [22:33]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:54] Mark Nardone’s background and PAN’s evolution
• [04:05] PAN’s new report: AI/PR data, implications for CMO focus
• [06:37] Quality vs. quantity in content creation
• [08:40] The convergence of PR, marketing, and board-level interest
• [12:56] What to do when the board starts asking Geo (AI) questions
• [14:58] The changing mindset: from velocity/volume to authority/trust
• [18:25] New metrics: measuring AI influence, share of voice/influence
• [20:52] Predictions for 2026: consistency, trust, the end of trial-and-error
• [23:17] Obsolete practices: high-volume content, old-school vanity metrics
• [24:55] Mark on staying agile: staying close to customers and strong teams

Takeaways for Marketers & CMOs

• Recalibrate your content strategy: Prioritize consistent, authoritative, answer-first content across all channels; quality trumps quantity.
• Invest in PR and analyst relations: These drive AI/Geo discoverability and real purchase influence.
• Operationalize for the AI era: Move beyond experimentation—embed new processes for measuring visibility and trust.
• Stay customer-centric & agile: Stay close to clients and invest in teams that challenge and inform decision-making.

“Clarity and consistency is going to win in 2026. There’s no question about it. … Brands have to be smart to that and wake up to it.”
— Mark Nardone [24:21]